Gluten Free Me

So, it seems that life has thrown me another little curve ball. I had Gastro a couple of weeks ago and headed off the the Doc to see if I could head back to work after two days of getting to know my toilet bowl on a whole new level. I explained that I had had enough. I knew I had a bug, but for years my tummy has been giving me grief. I explained my symptoms- having never been the same since returning from India. Anyway the Doctor actually listened to me- took me seriously and did some tests. Yes I did have a bug, but I also had a positive Coeliac Disease - Diagnosed with a simple blood test. So there goes all those yummy croissants and pastries that I love so much. Turns out I am also have a Fructose Malabsorption which just adds the icing to the cake (the Gluten Free cake). The last two weeks have been spent having Fructose and Lactose intolerance testing, and now today a Gastroscopy to confirm the diagnosis.

It's ok though- I figure you have to the look at the positives- no more being bloated, running to the bathroom and reflux. I keep telling myself that there are so many more products on the market now compared with 10 years ago. There's many gluten free alternatives to bake with.

So now comes the challenging part- changing my entire eating habits. Gone are Croissants, and pastries, cakes, crepes, breakfast cereals, porridge, tim tams, mint slice biscuits, chips, and anything containing Wheat, barley, Gluten and Oats. Gone are my favourite lollies Allens Retro Party Mix. So I have been enjoying these things for the last two weeks in preparation for never having them again.

Ava, one of my best friends also has Coeliac Disease so it's a blessing that my friendship group already cater for gluten free parties. Who said however that you can't eat well being Gluten Free. Check out these Cupcake Pavalovas filled with passionfruit cream curd and raspberries- all Gluten and Fructose Free.
Recipe was slightly adjusted version from the latest Donna Hay Magazine.

The birth of Tom Dominico Gallagher

I was very privileged to be at the birth of baby Tom last week. For my uni course, I am required to have a 'follow through' which is basically a woman who I see all throughout her entire pregnancy and birth. The idea is to follow through the whole experience with the woman. Melanie she got wind that I needed one and wanted it to be her. So, 7 months after she first asked me, I was very lucky to witness Melanie give birth to a beautiful baby boy Tom. Melanie did such a fabulous job during labour and birth...I was very impressed. Here are the pictures of baby Tom, Melanie and Dean, and then Tom and I....and yes I was still in the boot!

Still in the Boot!

Ok, so it's been four and a half weeks of being in the boot. I haven't been able to work, drive or walk without the boot on and I am spending my days studying for exams which are next week. There is an incredible amount to study and my brain is feeling very full right now trying to memorise it all.

On the positive side, the weather is getting warmer and the days a lovely and sunny, so I am taking advantage and sitting outside in the sun to study- at least I have enough time to prepare for the exams.

Last night I dreamed about delivering two babies - I can't wait to get back to work.....I am so behind now with all my clinical work. I have to deliver 20 by the end of the year and so far I am only up to 2. All my uni friends are already at 19-20 and are nearly finished. It doesn't help that I am missing my time in birth suite now sitting at home. When I get back there will be a mad rush to deliver as many as possible before the end of the year when I can then hand in all my work to apply for registration as a Midwife. I have two exams next week, one more assignment and then the Uni part of the course is all over. Then it's just a matter of focusing on clinical work - delivering babies, no more study, extra shifts to make up not earning any money whilst I am not working and having fun.

I can't run as well for three months after the break - which means that I won't be back pounding the pavement like I normally do to relieve stress and make me fee fabulous until Christmas time. It's very disheartening. I will have to just walk walk walk to try and not gain weight before summer. Vitamin D and Calcium supplements will hopefully help it heal quicker.

The best present ever!

So, having broken my foot, I am now mastering the art of using crutches and hopping around.  I know I probably shouldn't admit this but I always thought crutches were cool and that they might be a bit fun to use however somehow, they don't seem so cool anymore, maybe it's got something to do with being 31, being able to drive, earn money, and have freedom. I have now discovered that I really enjoyed the ability to use both legs and also my arms and hands when walking at the same time. Last year I thought breaking my wrist was bad enough, not being able to use two hands was challenging however I could still make a cup of tea and then take it somewhere else as well as walk to the tram stop, use public transport easily and work at my desk job. This time I am supposed to be on my feet at work delivering babies, but I am now off for 7 weeks, with only 2 weeks paid, can't drive, and am going to be in my immobilising black boot for 6 weeks. It's also going to be 3 months before I am back on my feet running, something I took for granted being able to do. I just keep telling myself this isn't permanent..think how lucky I am that it's only 6 weeks! It could be so much worse. My work is being so supportive. I have only delivered 2 out of my 20 babies to qualify as a registered Midwife so I am going to have to make up shifts into January instead of finishing my course in December. The positive thing is now I have the next 5 weeks to get my assignments and exam study done. There should be no reason why I can't ace the exams with all this spare time. The other thing is that things like this make you really appreciate how good and easy life is when your physically able. I certainly hope that I don't take the ability to walk easily for granted again like I used to.

Dave came over for dinner on Saturday to find me perched on a stool at the end of the kitchen strategically placed next to the stove, bench and oven. All I needed to do was swivel on my good foot and hey presto, I can still cook! Dave was also carrying a bright red plastic stool for the shower- the type that you find in Vietnam in some roadside cafe where the interior design wasn't the nicest but the best food is found. Is it wrong to think that this red stool might be the best present Dave has ever bought me?

No more team sports for me.

Ok, so I broke my right foot last night filling in for a friends soccer team. Indoor soccer I would have thought was less dangerous but it seems as though I am a clutz! So I have a spiral fracture of my right fifth Metatarsal which hopefully doesn't need plaster. It's going to be a long few weeks in my room, on crutches studying instead of working.

I will find out how long I will be off my feet for this afternoon. Such a pain in the foot!

It's baby season!

I am writing assignments....and it's procrastination time again. Thought I would share with you a picture of my quilt I made last year. It was my first and I originally had planned to do it all by hand, however three squares through I gave up and did it with the machine. I figure, I don't have all the spare time in the world to sit there doing things by hand. I think it's time for another one soon. Another friend announced a pregnancy the other night so I am going to make a quilt for her firstborn! So far, 5 close friends are pregnant. Its baby season! 

Surprise weekend in Sydney

Last month I received a text from my best friends husband Craig. Meg, was missing girly company in Sydney and he wanted to fly me up the next weekend if I was free. Well, I don't know about you, but I don't often get offers to be flown many places so needless to say I took up his offer to spend a glorious weekend with Meg who is expecting her second in Jan. Meg and Craig's first, Freddie is just 2 and has a fascination with Pegs! baby-chinos and also has a thing for his fathers head!

Frankie

A couple of months ago underneath Dave's coffee table, I discovered the wonderfully refreshing and arty magazine, Frankie. Out shopping yesterday, I spied the latest edition and thought....ahh I deserve it for finishing my latest assignment. Full of inspiring craft, photography and fashion ideas, I found myself giggling at the regular section 'rant' I could seriously hear Dave's voice in the article bagging our nation's obsession with Masterchef. He is always banging on about how the whole country has gone crazy and the saying 'plate up' is ridiculous!  Anyway, last night sitting up in bed with my wheat heat pack and Dave plotting his next adventure with the map of the Grampions sitting next to me I tucked in....a what a feast!
Along with a very humorous review of girly bath products by Marieke Hardy, listed was a fabulous blog daydreamlily.com which I happily checked out today. Ahh it's fabulous and I can't believe I have only just found it now!

Click here to check it out. 

Below is my attempt at some fun, baby slippers and a left over material elephant! which I made for the beautiful Sophia, also below.

A new Toy!

My little mac laptop, ibook G4 was on its way out....it still works but is incredible slow, and has no space left on it for all my photos and music, not to mention my uni work...so.....with the money from my extra shifts at Royal Children's, I bought a beautiful 21inch iMac desktop which I am in love with. Dave? who is he? my computer is now getting more love and attention than he! 

So, now I am back in blogging world regularly, and my computer is like a red Ferrari, I can blog without too much drama. Here I go!

Lovely piccies of Europe again, from my summer holiday now just over a month ago. 

 

A new family member for Dave

Dave became an uncle yesterday to a lovely baby girl, and today we went to visit!
Don't you just love those little hands and pudgy cheeks! Dave couldn't believe how soft her skin was. I guess I have the best job in the world- being exposed to babies every day, I get to smell that newborn smell and see those little cheeks all the time.

procrastinating is easy when there is a computer involved!

Nicolas and Pauline's Wedding, Chateauneuf, France

Missing Europe

I hate writing assignments! I really hate it.

Clinical Audits! YUK!
I have taken a break from writing to reminisce on my travel in Europe recently. Here is a little chocolate mouse I found in Geneva window!

Back to my favourite European spots and a Wedding!

It's been exactly three years since I returned from Europe to Australia. Much has changed and happened since I returned. I took a break from Nursing, met Dave! Yay! and am now back studying Midwifery, not to mention all the kids my friends have been having. Melanie is now on her second as is Meg, Michelle and Nevenka. Leanne is on her first and then there is Ava and Suz and I left! Sometimes I wonder whether when it will be time for me. It's not bad though. It's not like I am going grey or anything....or am I?

Anyway, I returned to Europe for the wedding of Pauline and Nicolas in Chateauneuf Grasse, just outside of Nice. I arrived in London to start with to catch up with girls from work and the frenchies, then headed to Geneva to catch up with another friend who I met in Nice three years ago. Geneva was hot! but lovely to see Cassandra and her beautiful boy Aiden. After Geneva, I travelled to Nice for the wedding which was like something out of a magazine or movie. Every detail thought of...the scene was spectacular, set on the hill overlooking the valley's below, drinks in an olive grove of Nicolas' parents villa. The food, and weather and everything was amazing. Photos of the bride and groom below in a link to their website where you can view a video as well.
http://legrandvoyage.typepad.com/


After the wedding and a couple of days recovery of shopping, swimming, and eating and drinking I headed to Paris to meet up with Cath, my New Zealand friend who I knew well in London. We had an amazing few days walking around eating amazing food, sitting and eating our baguette underneath the Tour de Eiffel. After Paris, I visited friends in Luxembourg for a few days and then headed back to Melbourne to start back at Uni.

I have uploaded a few shots of my favourite spots here.

Studying! OH NO NOT AGAIN

Midwife: With Woman.

How much studying is there going to be......a lot.

I never ever realised that there was so much to it..you know.. giving birth!

There's the how to get pregnant part....the fun bit of course, then there's the embryo development-what can go wrong- the testing which I am going to have to know backwards and then finally there is the labour! Now that I hear can go on for ages! Then last but not least there is the looking after women part post birth.

WOW I have a lot to study....and I can't wait!

I did my first abdominal palpation the other day and it was the most bizarre feeling....the bottom up top near the fundus, then the smooth back felt down one side, and some nobbly bits on the other. It's incredible really, and then hearing the fetal heart beat with the doppla go galloping along - it brought tears to my eyes.

Adrian and Jess's Wedding back in October 09

I may have a bit of a thing for cup cakes...especially ones iced by me!

Going back to Nursing

So I took a break  - Literally and then decided to head back to the wards. 

When I told my wrist surgeon that I was thinking of doing a Post Grad Diploma in Midwifery and that I needed my wrist to be fully functional he said I should put the idea on the back burner......mmmm so no surprises that it made me more determined than ever!

After spending just over two years working internally for a Nursing Agency, I have decided to take the next challenge and pursue a career as a Maternal and Child Health Nurse. Having spent most of my time in the last two years doing a bit of everything - Marketing, designing, advertising, recruitment, events and everything else you can imagine, it's Uni time again. Yes I may be crazy! 

Turns out to be a Maternal and Child health nurse, you also have to be a midwife, so here goes!

This is what I have to look forward to! 

Blood, placenta's, amniotic fluid, screaming babies - and women! Vagina's and plenty of them and mmmmm, but there is a good bit! --- Delivering babies, I think might be the best job in the world! Such an amazing moment in peoples lives....and to be a part of it! Well, need I say more?